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Rudolf Schmidt
}}]] | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-image" colspan="2" | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-image" colspan="2" | }} |- } | class="wikia-infobox-caption" colspan="2" } | }} |- ! colspan="2" | Reichskanzler |- ! Term | } |- ! Kaiser | } |- ! Deputy Chancellor | } |- ! Predecessor | } |- ! Sucessor | } |- ! colspan="2" | Life |- ! Born | } |- ! Died | } |- ! Spouse | } |- ! Political Party | } |- ! Military Service | } |- ! Rank | } |- style="font-size:0; line-height:0;" ! style="width:50%; padding:0" | ! style="width:50%; padding:0" | |} Rudolf Schmidt was a Christian Union politician from the Neu Deutsches Kaiserreich, serving as the country's second Reichskanzler from 1955 to 1960. With the country entering a period of political crisis during his term, his administration fell from favor, and he was pushed aside in the 1960 election by returning Hans Schultz. He is generally remembered as a well meaning, but ineffective leader. Early Life Born in Kiel, Germany in 1881, Schmidt was brought up into a deeply religious family, and entered seminary in 1895. Following his graduation he served as a Lutheran pastor at various churches until late 1917, when he was drafted to serve as a chaplain in the Imperial Army. He would return to his church after the Armistice, and would stay there through the 1930s, when his vocal opposition to National Socialism forced his retirement. After the war he founded the Christian Union Party in 1946, and thus began his political career. Chancellorship Despite the popularity of Chancellor Schultz, he was not allowed by the constitution to run for a third consecutive term, and in any case wished to retire. Schmidt secured the Chancellorship, narrowly defeating Wolfgang Hochstetter of the hard line conservative Reichspartei by only 8% of the vote. His administration was marked mainly by his attempts to further cement the existence of free speech and expansion of cultural institutions. This stance was popular, would never the less lead to his downfall, as the newly formed branch of the SED was stirring unrest. This would culminate in the return of Weimar era street violence by late 1959, culminating in the bombing of the Emmerich Children's Hospital in March of 1960. Following this the Chancellor formally petitioned the Kaiser for a declaration of a National Emergency, and thus suspended the SED operations, and deployed troops of the Kaiserliche Heer to put down riots in the capital. Despite all this, the general public viewed this as being far to late, and Schmidt was defeated in a landslide by a returning Schultz in the 1960 elections. Retirement and Later Life Following his defeat in 1960 the now 79 year old Schmidt retired to his residence on a small farm outside of the capitol. He would live here for some years, eventually publishing his memoirs in early 1962. The death of his wife, Hermine, in April of 1962 left him in a deep depression, and he would die in his sleep on the morning of May 30th, 1962. He was buried in a small service in a crypt on the grounds of the farm, alongside his wife. Titles, Honors, and Styles Titles * As Reichskanzler Der recht Ehrenwerte Reichskanzler Rudolf Schmidt The Right and Honorable Imperial Chancellor Rudolf Schmidt Honors * Grand Cross of the House Order of Klink Styles * As Reichskanzler Herr Reichskanzler Mr. Imperial Chancellor Category:Kaiserreich Category:Leaders Category:Politicians Category:Christliche Unionsparte Category:Reichskanzler